G3D Mark is a standard benchmark that measures graphics performance in real-world gaming scenarios. It simplifies comparing cards from different brands, where higher scores directly correlate with better fps and smoother gaming experiences.

GeForce GTX 1060 3GB vs GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB FPS Benchmarks

Predicted gaming performance across popular games. Tested paired with Ryzen 7 9800X3D to isolate GPU performance.

Search any supported game below to compare 1080p FPS for both components.

GeForce GTX 1060 3GB vs GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB: Pros, Cons & Final Verdict

See where each GPU makes more sense in practice: raw FPS, VRAM, features, power draw, pricing, and long-term headroom.

GeForce GTX 1060 3GB

2016

Why buy it

✅Costs $50 less on MSRP ($199 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).
✅Delivers 22% more G3D Mark for each dollar spent, at 49.3 vs 40.4 G3D/$ ($199 MSRP vs $249 MSRP).

Trade-offs

❌Lower average FPS than GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
❌Less VRAM, with 3 GB vs 8 GB for high-resolution textures and newer games.
❌2016 hardware with 3 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.

GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB

2016

Why buy it

✅27.4% more average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data.
✅166.7% more VRAM for high-resolution textures and newer games (8 GB vs 3 GB).
✅More future proof: Pascal (2016−2021) on 16nm with a newer platform for upcoming games.

Trade-offs

❌2016 hardware with 8 GB of VRAM already sits in legacy territory for modern games.
❌
25.1% HIGHER MSRP
$249 MSRPvs$199 MSRP
❌Lower G3D Mark per dollar, at 40.4 vs 49.3 G3D/$ ($249 MSRP vs $199 MSRP).

Quick Answers

Which GPU is faster for gaming right now?

GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB is the faster gaming card right now. In our data, it leads by 27.4% in average FPS across 50 tracked games in our benchmark data and by 2.5% in PassMark G3D (10,063 vs 9,815), so the answer here is pretty clean.

Which GPU is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond?

GeForce GTX 1060 3GB is the safer long-term pick for 2026 and beyond because it comes out ahead on the available hardware-headroom signals for this matchup.

Which GPU is the better buy today?

GeForce GTX 1060 3GB makes the most sense to buy today. It is $50 cheaper on MSRP at $199 vs $249, and it leads G3D-per-dollar by 22% (49.3 vs 40.4), which is enough to swing the recommendation its way. GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB still makes more sense if max raw gaming performance matters more than value.

GeForce GTX 1060 3GB vs GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB Technical Specifications

Side-by-side specs, architecture details, clocks, memory, power, and platform differences.

GeForce GTX 1060 3GB

The GeForce GTX 1060 3GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in August 18 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1506 MHz to 1708 MHz. It has 1152 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 120W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 9,815 points. Launch price was $199.

GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB

The GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB is manufactured by NVIDIA. It was released in July 19 2016. It features the Pascal architecture. The core clock ranges from 1506 MHz to 1709 MHz. It has 1280 shading units. The thermal design power (TDP) is 120W. Manufactured using 16 nm process technology. G3D Mark benchmark score: 10,063 points. Launch price was $299.

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Graphics Performance

The GeForce GTX 1060 3GB scores 9,815 and the GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB reaches 10,063 in the G3D Mark benchmark — just a 2.5% difference, making them near-identical in rasterization performance. The GeForce GTX 1060 3GB is built on Pascal while the GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB uses Pascal, both on a 16 nm process. Shader units: 1,152 (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs 1,280 (GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB). Raw compute: 3.935 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs 4.375 TFLOPS (GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB). Boost clocks: 1708 MHz vs 1709 MHz.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060 3GB	GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB
G3D Mark Score	9,815	10,063+3%
Architecture	Pascal	Pascal
Process Node	16 nm	16 nm
Shading Units	1152	1280+11%
Compute (TFLOPS)	3.935 TFLOPS	4.375 TFLOPS+11%
Boost Clock	1708 MHz	1709 MHz
ROPs	48	48
TMUs	72	80+11%
L1 Cache	432 KB	480 KB+11%
L2 Cache	1.5 MB	1.5 MB

✨

Advanced Features (DLSS/FSR)

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060 3GB	GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB
Upscaling Tech	Upscaling support	Upscaling support
Frame Generation	Not Supported	Not Supported
Ray Reconstruction	No	No
Low Latency	NVIDIA Reflex	NVIDIA Reflex

💾

Video Memory (VRAM)

The GeForce GTX 1060 3GB has 3 GB of VRAM, while the GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB carries 8 GB. GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB gives you 166.7% more memory capacity, which matters more once you move into heavier textures, mods, or higher resolutions. Memory bus width is 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB and 192-bit on the GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060 3GB	GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB
VRAM Capacity	3 GB	8 GB+167%
Memory Type	GDDR5	GDDR5
Memory Bandwidth	192 GB/s	192 GB/s
Bus Width	192-bit	192-bit
L2 Cache	1.5 MB	1.5 MB

🖥️

Display & API Support

DirectX support: 12.1 (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs 12 (FL 12_1) (GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB). Vulkan: 1.1 vs 1.3. OpenGL: 4.5 vs 4.6. Maximum simultaneous displays: 4 vs 4.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060 3GB	GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB
DirectX	12.1	12 (FL 12_1)
Vulkan	1.1	1.3+18%
OpenGL	4.5	4.6+2%
Max Displays	4	4

🎬

Media & Encoding

Hardware encoder: NVENC 4.0 (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs NVENC 4th gen (GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB). Decoder: PureVideo HD VP6 vs PureVideo VP7. Supported codecs: MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs H.264,H.265/HEVC (GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB).

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060 3GB	GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB
Encoder	NVENC 4.0	NVENC 4th gen
Decoder	PureVideo HD VP6	PureVideo VP7
Codecs	MPEG-2,H.264,HEVC	H.264,H.265/HEVC

🔌

Power & Dimensions

The GeForce GTX 1060 3GB draws 120W versus the GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB's 120W — a 0% difference. The GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB is more power-efficient. Recommended PSU: 400W (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs 400W (GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB). Power connectors: 6-pin vs 6-pin. Card length: 250mm vs 250mm, occupying 2 vs 2 slots. Typical load temperature: 75°C vs 70°C.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060 3GB	GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB
TDP	120W	120W
Recommended PSU	400W	400W
Power Connector	6-pin	6-pin
Length	250mm	250mm
Height	111mm	111mm
Slots	2	2
Temp (Load)	75°C	70°C-7%
Perf/Watt	81.8	83.9+3%

💰

Value Analysis

At launch, the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB came in at $199, while the GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB launched at $249. On MSRP, GeForce GTX 1060 3GB was 20.1% cheaper ($50 less). Performance per dollar on MSRP (G3D Mark / MSRP): 49.3 (GeForce GTX 1060 3GB) vs 40.4 (GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB) — the GeForce GTX 1060 3GB offers 22% better value.

Feature	GeForce GTX 1060 3GB	GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB
MSRP	$199-20%	$249
Performance per Dollar	49.3+22%	40.4
Codename	GP106	GP106
Release	August 18 2016	July 19 2016
Ranking	#272	#255

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